Ghost of a Dog.

This is Lucy asking why in a free world she isn't allowed to go with me....everywhere.

So two weeks ago I was at the vet concerned about Lucy and her urine. The next week I was at the vet with Gary who was peeing blood on Maddie's bed. This seems...like a pretty good indication your cat wants you to know he doesn't feel good.

He seemed very sick. Very sick. I have a couple of friends with cats who peed blood, ended up with crystals in their urine, ended up with a blockage. Ended up with surgery, a $2000 vet bill and a cat who died anyway.

The animal rescue where we got Lucy would frown and legally remove my dog from my home if they knew this but...there's no way I can spend $2000 on Gary's bladder. So as we know, I harnessed the power of worry into a giant ball of sobbing incoherence on the phone with the vet. When I arrived, Gary covered in urine, I was convinced he was going to die. 

Gary dying would be undeniably sad. He is Maddie's best friend and I'm pretty fond of him too. I mean he's no Lucy but still I love his easy going personality. But the thing that was giving me hives and "ugly cry" was the thought of having to tell the vet, "I can't spend my money on this."

Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Gary did not have a blockage. So I handed over all my money, and took my urine soaked cat home to convalesce in the bathroom. I've spent the 7 days since then shoving a syringe in Gary's throat a few times a day. 

He isn't entirely pleased by this and could also use a nail trim so I'm a human scratching post. 

I'm not exactly known for my positive attitude and this last few weeks is no exception. The lucky thing is I'm having a really great week this week because I'm almost done nursing a cat back to health and (so far) this week there has been no animal urine in my general vicinity. 

It's nice when your week is considered good because nothing's peeing on you. Here's to the best week ever!

Comments

[Maureen]

I agree with you on spending vast amounts of money on vet bills ($2000 is pretty vast for my budget.) I feel for you and I'm glad it seems to be working out. God bless our pets.

[Kristen]

I'm so glad there was no blockage, for many reasons! Yay, Gary!

Last fall, when my best, sweetest dog EVER, Yuki, got sick, we were staring down the possibility of a $10k bill with maybe a 50/50 chance of her getting better, and with no good way to make her feel ok in the meantime. Putting her to sleep was undoubtedly the hardest decision I've ever, ever made (and if we'd had a good probability of the treatment making her all better quickly, I might have handed over my credit card, to be quite honest). But, imagine how many healthy, needy animals I can help with $10k, you know? I still cry about it (a LOT), but I would have kicked myself if we'd spent all our money and put her through treatments and/or surgery and lost her anyway.

[Lisa]

Congratulations, Kitty Nurse, it sounds like you've done a great job with Gary!

Your unrealized dilemma is one of my worst nightmares. As much as I absolutely love and adore my cats, there is a limit where I have to say, I'm sorry, but you're an animal and although I love you dearly, I can't justify spending thousands of dollars on your care.

Glad to hear you didn't have to make this awful decision and here's to a urine free week!

[Meetzorp]

My favorite cat (Griswald) had a bladder infection once...came down with it on New Year's Day, 205, in fact. I had to schlep him halfway across the city to the one emergency vet clinic that was open (only until Noon) to find out if he was dying or what.

He peed all over himself in the carrier in the car, and was a howling, frenzied, piss-soaked wreck by the time we got to the vet. So was I.

It turned out to be nothing that a twice-daily week-long course of antibiotic pills couldn't handle. But the timing? Unbelievably wretched.

[erika edith]

Pee free is the way to be! Let's just hope you didn't jinx it by writing about it here. Yes, I still believe in jinxes.

[ella]

It's either fix the animals or eat. Hmmm...
I know what you mean.

Glad everyone is on the mend.

Love that picture of Lucy.

[Karen]

That is great news! So glad things are working out!

[Amanda]

Just for another reference point: my cat had blood in urine, crystals in bladder, and is totally fine! Has been on prescription food ever since (9 years), but totally and completely healthy :)

Yay for 200% reduction in animal urine!!

[Crisanne]

I was forced with that awful decision last fall. And while we had that much in the account in that moment, it would have meant my husband couldn't register for his board exam. And we wouldn't have eaten for a couple weeks. I hated it (and still do), esp because my oldest LOVED our kitty. So very thankful you've been able to avoid that choice. I don't wish it on anyone.

[Calee]

Just make sure to keep an eye on his urinating habits. Our cat got an infection about 4 years ago, started peeing blood, primarily in the sink, thankfully. We got him all fixed up (no blockage!) but he no longer wants to pee in a litter box. Sometimes he uses the sink, sometimes outside, but if we're not careful, he seems to think the slate bathroom floor is a perfectly acceptable place. So yay for cat pee...

[Emilie @ One Mom in Maine]

very sorry about the sick animals, but i have to say that the photo of lucy in this post is award winning. so beautiful.

[Melissa Summers]

@calee

I hate to say it but that's another cat deal breaker.

Especially in a rental.

[Melissa Summers]

@crisanne

Did you tell your kids? We decided we would tell them the doctor said he was too sick. Maddie would NEVER forgive us for not living in our car to save the cat.

[Melissa Summers]

@erika edith

Me too and you know what? With the luck I am having lately it totally will. Gary and the little cat were throwing up this morning and Lucy had her nose buried in her crotch.

YEEEE HAWWWWWW

[Melissa Summers]

@meetzorp

Wow same scenario except instead of NYD bad luck it was just the worst financial timing ever. Well, not ever but it was BAD.

PS: Griswald is an awesome name.

[Sunshine]

Our dog has been to the vet four times in as many weeks. Sudden leg 'lameness' which means she either limps around or drags her back legs. You would think she was dying. But, no no, you are wrong. 10 xrays and various tests later and NOTHING is wrong with the dog. Our vet is flummoxed and has no suggestions. She is a rescue and is terrified of us now (perhaps thinks we've hurt her? I have no idea). Refuses to relieve herself outside. Only goes on my couch or in her crate. Prior to a month ago? She was totally fine. Sorry for the long comment. Apparently I needed to vent, especially after my mother indicated that if this were HER dog she wouldn't be giving up.

[Sunshine]

Forgot to mention, that that picture of Lucy is amazing. Haunting, even.

[Lisa]

My male cat has crystals. No surgery, just prescription food, and a syringe of water every night... sometimes in the morning too if he's grumpy.

BTW - there are over-the-counter foods with the same pH neutralizing effect that C/D has, so you don't have to go that expensive route (Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken works for the pH problem my cat has).

[Rebecca]

Into each life, some pee must fall. But hopefully not directly on you... Glad things are drying up! (Ugly cry as well as urine.)

Fab photo!

[Amy (Minimally Invasive)]

What a stunning dog your Lucy is. And your picture captures the moment so perfectly; with that face, it's a wonder you can leave her alone at all.

Please don't feel guilty about the money! My husband and I love our greyhounds more than anything, but we decided on a "doggie deductible" long ago and plan/hope to stick to it. (Ask us about it again if something goes wrong; who knows if we'll be able to stick to our guns.)

[radiosound]

Great photo!

[Sara]

Our dog has stayed mostly healthy which is great, considering she is 13. I think she knows that we aren't willing to spend much on her care. I don't know exactly how much would be too much (I have a feeling these things sneak up on people - an x-ray, followed by a test, followed by an x-ray, followed by...) But I would say $1,000 off the top of my head.

But, I really came here to tell you that that photo is awesome. Please enter it in some contest or another. I'm sure it would win.

[Melissa Summers]

Heh that's what a friend says. They know you won't spend $1000 in one shot but you will take them in 10 times and spend $100, I mean, how do you refuse to spend just $100 on your pet?

[Christy]

Several years ago, unbeknownst to us, one of our cats started using the lovely berber carpet in our basement as his litter box. We rarely used our basement at the time, so I didn't know this was going on. Then one day my daughter, who was 2 at the time, came upstairs carrying a piece of cat poop and asked me "What's this?" I immediately fainted. Upon further inspection, we found the problem had gotten so out of control, we decided the only course of action was to replace the carpet entirely. Since we have a very large basement, this was quite expensive ($5000+). In the meantime, we spent a few hundred dollars extra having the cat checked out to make sure it wasn't a medical issue, only to be told nothing was physically wrong with him; he was just high strung and was probably just stressed out by our young kids. So the vet prescribed valium to mellow him out. No joke. For a while things were fine. But then, a couple of years ago, we went away on vacation for two full weeks and he started doing this again while we were gone, only now it was in our main living room area! Again, we had to replace our carpeting in that room as well, again costing us LOTS of money. This same cat, who is now 15, is having some kidney issues now, and I hate to sound callous, but I don't know how much I am willing to spend if this continues to drag on and require more and more medical attention - especially given his age, and the sickening amounts of money we have already spent repairing the damage he's done. He's already on a "special diet" of $40 / bag food for his kidneys. Ugh! My son adores him, but seriously - he has more than used up his fair share of the budget. I totally get your dilemma.

[Jennifer]

Awesome Awesom Awesome picture! I think my favorite part is her paws sticking up over the edge of the window sill.

[Juliet]

Our dog loves to run. Wild. Outside. Without a leash. Like the dog in that Chevy Chase movie where the only time you see the dog is when it's running through the front yard at full speed and Chevy Chase is all like "Dog, dog..." and the dog keeps running...Anyway, my point is one of the many times my dog got out and ran free (on accident, of course)he came back limping. We thought he was just "sore" so we let him ride it out. When he finally didn't stop limping after his long walks on the beach, we took him to the vet. After the vet looked at the x-rays, he came in and said these golden words, "Veterinary Orthopedic Surgeon".
I thought I was going to die...of laughter. Don't get me wrong, I love my dog but he's definitely on the bottom of the list -- right under groceries and electricity. Luckily for us, he overcame his limp. The running wild in the streets, not so much.

[Lynnster]

I've done the crystals thing and we had the surgery, and he lived another 14 years with only a few flareups. Even though Gary didn't have the crystals, since male cats are more prone to this stuff you might want to do a few things just as preventative measures.

We stayed on the prescription food for several years until I'd finally just kind of had it with the expense - I had other cats and there was no way to separate the eaters when it came to the dry prescription food. That was about the time the commercial store brands came out with the urinary tract formula foods, and he and the rest did just fine with one of those for the next 6-7 years until he died of old age, at which point soon after we switched to one of the indoor cat formula versions (and have been just fine).

He only had maybe two or three more episodes sometime within the first five years after his surgery (and incidentally, all while he was on the prescription food - none after I switched foods). I caught them early (he would inevitably go crouch to pee in a pair of shoes I frequently left on the floor) and he was treated with antibiotics, no surgeries those times.

Given the fact that he had flareups still when on the prescription food and ZERO when he started eating one of the commercial urinary tract formula foods, really I'd recommend it (for any male indoor cat). I'm sure the "better" brands you get at Petco and such are fine, we did just ducky with one of the regular off-the-shelf brands at the grocery store tho for a good 6-7 years tho. His kidneys gave out and he died at the ripe old age of 16 - pretty good for a cat that was near death with the blockage at only about 2 or 3.

Glad Gary pulled through and is getting better, I love hearing about Gary and Lucy. :)

[Donna]

Our cat had to have the 2k bladder removal surgery and has made a full recovery. I know you have kids and bills and life and stuff, but Gary is worth it. He is a part of your family. If Gary is young and otherwise healthy there is no reason he should not make a full recovery, should surgery even become necessary. Get wet food into his diet, pronto. Crystals happen because dry kibble is BAD BAD BAD news for cats. It's got way too many grains and/or carbs in general and not nearly enough protein. Get him well and get wet food into his diet (I've read that ANY wet food is better than ANY dry kibble). You can also poach any kind of chicken (just don't give him any bones) and serve it to him with a little chicken broth. I promise he will love, love, love it and will be your best eater. Good luck to you and to Gary!

[Melissa Summers]

@Donna Gary needs no help being our best eater.

[Kelly]

We just lost our cat Max after spending more than $1,000 in diagnostics. First it was blood work, then xrays, then more x rays and blood work, ultrasounds, and CAT scans. Strangest thing - all results came back normal. I kept thinking - I just want to know what's wrong and whether it was fixable. Turns out he had FIP and no known driver for his degeneration... but after he stopped eating, couldn't use his back legs, and lost control of his bladder...we knew it was time.

[Josephine]

That photo should win an award. Fantastic!

[Meetzorp]

I know you guys already have Gary on a diet, and kudos to you. I had to put both of my cats on a diet, and it's a serious pain in the butt. But it's especially important to trim down a fat male cat as overweight male cats have a greater propensity for urinary issues.

Or so sayeth my cats' vet. And Griswald hasn't had any urinary tract problems since he went from 18 to 14 lb. Just an INSANE, persistent, and incredibly loud fixation with feeding time.

[AGeekyMom]

Good luck with the cat pee! We have had many cats over the years and several have had the uninary tract infections. I wish I could remember the company that shipped C/D cat food, it made it so much easier than going to the vet to buy it.
One of my cats, Roxy, got in a cat fight on Wednesday morning and hid all day long under our bed. Although I was worried about her, my biggest worry was that I was going to have to take her to the vet.. My husband is out of town, so when I talked to him, we both agreed that I should wait and see how she was the next day. Roxy finally emerged on Thursday, with a slight limp. She is showing no signs of injury this morning.. glad I waited! I consider myself an animal lover (we once spent $300 on a stray with a broken leg, we had a dog with epilepsy that lived on phenobarbitol for 4 years, plus 2 cats on C/D cat food for 10+ years) but there comes a time when one has to say "the cat/dog has lived a full life. Time to say goodbye."

[Carrie Anne]

I am actually a huge fan and believer of the Power of Worry. I often feel that those close to me don't worry enough and that I need to help them worry to make sure all worry levels are sufficiently high.

I'm so glad Gary is okay.